Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-25
CLIFTON FORGE.
wcny ABOUT THE DEATH OF EUGENE
BUBKs.
Marriage of Miss Mccurdy-A Homsncs
that Commenced Daring the
War-Notes.
Correspondence of tho Richmond DisDntch.i

l(CTIOSupuucu't VI Niu lsltHnthN
CLIFTON FoRGE, VA, Dec. %, 1887.
The body OF Eugene Burks, former
citizen of this place, arrived here TINS
morning on the train from the West ac-
companied by his widow and two chill
dren. Mr.. Burks bad worked IN the
railroad machine-shops here, and was a
son OF Mr.. w. A. Burks, OF Charlottes-
vile, locomotive engineer In the en-
ploy OF the Newport News and Mississip-
pi-Valley Company. His bodywas found
in the canal a. Newark, Ohio, where he
has lately resided. He and two COM
panions, after being paid off Tuesday at
Newark, were seen in an alteration on
the canal-bank, all apparently drinking,
and the next morning Burks's body with
a wound on the head was fished ont OF
the water. Foul play is suspected, and
the men, McElroy and Kane, who we're
with Burks, have been arrested.
Miss Mol McCurdy, OF the McCurdy
sisters, the owners of the two large
hotels bearing their name here and ct
Covington, was married in Covington on
the DIST instant by Rev. Mr.. Wagner,
OF the Methodist Church, to Major j.. H..
Evans, of Ashevile, \. c., and has gone
with her husband to the North State,
where she will make her home in the fu-
ture. There is tinge of romance about
this marriage, Major Evans, while a Con-
federate soldier during the late war,
having been sick or wounded at the
house OF Miss McCurdy's father and she
the mi listering angel who nursed him
back to health and finally crowned his life
with happiness.
Few businessmen have exhibited more
enterprise and tact than this lady. Upon
the death OF their father, some fifteen
wears ago, the three sisters assumed all
OF his debts, amounting to near SO, 600,
and bravely undertook to carry on the
hotel-business he had left at Covlng-
ton and discharge his liabilities.
Miss Mol, the youngest of the
sisters. became the financier. and
business manager, and in seven years
the last of their fathers debts were
discharged They then, contrary to the
Judgment Of many older heads, under
took q larger venture, and without any
capital to begin with built and furnished
the large hotel at Clifton Forge at an
outlay OF $1,000. That property has all
been paid for and has become quite val
uable, being estimated now at fully 500,
600, and the sisters are Independent.
Honesty, pluck, and good sense will tell,
and even the weakest of the weaker sex
may take courage from the example OF
these three orphan Virginia sisters.
The Clifton Foreers are much inter
ested in the pending investigation in
their town of the eligibility of tue sitting
delegate from Allegheny, Mr.. Nc
Chntic the more so as the Legislative
committee which meets to take evil
dence in the case on the 10th of Jan
uary is to sit at tho McCurdy
House here. The DispGtch, which
brought the news here last night,
was much read and quoted. They
talk about calling the place Little
Richmond, and inviting the whole Legis-
lature up to sit with them, q while anyway.
The " sitting member" for Allegheny
arrived here this morning from Rich
mond and took the Richmond and Allie
ghany train for his home in Botetourt.
He was full of hope and very full OF
Christmas, and said it took very good
man anyhow if he could come over from
Botetourt and beat two Allegheny Re
publicans and one Allegheny Democrat.
This place continues to grow and I'M
prove. Every time | come here | see
new indications of advancement, and al
no time more than the present. New
walls, new roofs, and new points are 70
be seen on every hand. and several good
buildings not yet under roof / am In
formed that not less than seyenty-fve new
houses have been erected here this year,
quite large proportion being located IN
Brooklyn" over on the other sid&ol
the river, but connected with the mair
city, % her namesake is, by a wire-sus
pension bridge, rs well as by the Rich
mond and Allegheny railroad bridge,
with foot sidewalk rs an annex. So tho
town is not finished yet by any means
and there are few corner lots still il
the market, but advancing. Vox.